Allow me to introduce? The Mount Everest

For my last day, I actually had in mind to spend it lazily by some pretty hotel pool. That's what I usually do when a trip comes to an end and I have to return to the capital and have had enough of sightseeing, noise and hustle and bustle of the big city. But since there are still some things on my list, I have to skip that this time. I decide that I want to go to a nice beach in Hong Kong for the last day.

For the last day, I convince my wallet to make a highlight on my bucket list: to see the Mount Everest once. A flight costs a whopping $195 including transportation to and from the airport. For a whole month, I've been thinking whether I really want to spend that much money. On the other hand, I have been VERY careful with my budget, trying to eat in local restaurants, avoiding expensive drinks, replacing comfortable and expensive taxi rides with adventurous and cheap bus rides, etc. And who knows if I will ever get such a chance again? Life is now. So I book the flight through Balaram from Thamel Travels and Tours, whom I have experienced as reliable and well-organized. It starts at 5:40 am. And I celebrated internally when I can explain to the employee via WhatsApp where I am in Dhalko. When I arrive at the airport, I see my fellow travelers. Aha, Americans, English and a few Germans. I significantly lower the average age! Haha. We all have a window seat in the small plane, the seats on the aisle remain empty. Unfortunately, I am sitting right at the level of the wings and the rotor blades prevent me from taking proper pictures.

So I simply enjoy the panorama. We rise above the clouds and are greeted by radiant blue sky and dazzling sunlight. The view is fantastic. We fly along the entire chain of the Himalayan giants. It's a breathtaking sight. Somehow unreal, how they rise to such majestic heights. Covered in ice and snow, they look like they're sprinkled with powdered sugar. I enjoy every moment of this fantastic panorama. One by one, we are allowed to enter the cockpit to see the Mount Everest. Yeeeah!

It is easily recognizable by its pyramid-shaped peak, while on the right side of it, at the summit of Lhotse, strong winds stir up a permanent snow veil. I can orientate myself well on that. How do people manage to climb up there? Unbelievable, it's so steep and inhospitable.

The small plane turns and now I have the mountain range on my side. Yay! How wonderful. The photos don't turn out so nice, but I don't care. I'm happy.